St. Landry democrat., 1887-02-26


"He is on the roof! Quick! The rope
is on the other side! Go up that way
and save him!' screams Susie in a
voice husky with the horror that con-
sumcs her.
"On the roof? The rope? I do not
understand says the man.
Susie realizes that it will soon be too
latc-that any movement to save Dan
Hurlock must be made at once. This
thought coOls her blood like ice, and
she tells the trouble in swift, calm
words that can not be mistaken. The
man leaves the window, and once more
the eyes of Susie are fixed on the cling
ing youth opposite.
"Couragc, Dan. Cling! Cling Help
is coming.'
The voice Of the girl reaches his ear,
but he can say nothing; even speech he
feels will loosen his cling to the states.
feet are shoelcss, and this fact alone
has thus far deferred his doom; but he
feels all support giving way, slowly
yet surely he is going to the verge Of
an awful abyss. 1t is a hundred feet
from the projecting caves to the court
below. Red Dan, the cause of all the
mischief, is forgotten now. There is
no help, no hope Such is the pale
youths thought, yet he hugs that OK
panse Of slate with the desperate en-
ergy of despair. A vast, spotted ex-
pansc stretches under his blurted Wis
ion, as his face is pressed against the
cold slate. His hands are downward,
pressing against the steep with such
force as to almost burst the skin; and
yet, inch by inch he is moving down
ward!
How soon he will reach the verge he
has no means of knowing, but even at
the present rate of progress it can be
but matter of few minutes only.
At any moment. too, he may touch
upon a smooth surface (the States have
thus far been roughly and find himself
precipitated suddenly into the abyss
below. Awful moment! Awful thought,
To the bursting brain of Dan Hurlock
it seems as though all the world is
dancing a mad jig about his perch on
that broad eXpanse of roof.
Cling. Dan, cling!'
The voice of Susie is waited to the
strained senses of the slipping victim
Of his own raShness. There is nothing
musical in her voice, but rather the
wall of one in despair. Dan does cling,
but his arms ache. his limbs are rackcd,
tremulous and sore-the roar of some
invisible storm penetrates his brain.
Slowly he moves. Ha! a smooth spot!
He is going down, down to his doom.
Susie utters wild cry and sinks to her
knees. with an awful sense of horror in
her heart. Even then noosed rope is
flung over the sharp roof, but it comes
too late, too late! Susie's blue eyes are
covered-she waits the awful sound of
the death-fall, waits and still waits. 1t
does not come.
Once more she dares to look. On
the verge, his feet dangling above the
awful abyss, is the doomed youth. A
mans face appears above the ridge full
thirty feet distant, and his hand
clutches rope, at one end of which is
a large moose. This goes down, down,
with slow precision. and finally touches
the brown curls of Hurlock. His hands
clinch the last row of slate; he hangs
half over the caves, clinging with death
like tenacity.
That moment Dan Hurlock suffered
ten thousand deaths. An awful sense
of the great height masters him, and
drops of sweat almost like hearts blood
ooze from his clammy face. And then
the touch of the rope thrills to his mar
row. He realizes that one is above,
come to his rescue, and yet it can be Of
no avail.
If he releases one hand to seize he
rope, that instant he will go over into
space. He is barely able with both
hands to cling to his perch, and oh,
how weak and faint he feels in thai ter
rible moment of bitter suspense.
The rope-can you not grasp it?
No? Well, raise your head, and | will
drop it over
Dan Hurlock hears the words, but he
can not obey. He dare not utter word,
even to attempt it would hurl him to
eternity he believes. The rope slides
against the youths head as the man
above urges action. All to lift his face
an inch would seal Dan Hurlock' S fate.
How tired his arms, his limbs. His
hands are blistered; they are becoming
moist, and begin to lose their tenacious
grip-they are slipping! He moves!
he is going over; he is lost! A touch
against his cheek. He opens his lips
to utter a gasping cry; something fills
them-the rope! His teeth close about
the hempen cord; his jaws have not
+ho 1roo1- CT